There's Always Tomorrowland: Disney and the Hypercinematic Experience

In the early days of Disneyland, one Tomorrowland attraction was the Autopia, where youngsters could drive actual, though miniature, automobiles. Disney intended these young citizens-to-be to thus learn traffic safety at an early age and hence to be prepared to enter the L.A. freeway system. Unfortunately, the children took demented delight in crashing the cars, and the ride had to be put on tracks.' One can hardly blame the kids for resisting the park's immaculately conceived system of guidance, but the Disney ethos could not tolerate these signs of technological breakdown. Disneyland began as a park where Walt could extend his miniature train set within a framework of realistic landscape effects. A fascination with Americana further informed the project, and dioramas depicting historical periods and events (much like the tableaux of early film history) were placed along the train's route in a coherent sequence. Finally, its design worked to construct a safe and clean environment, thoroughly distinct from the chaos and boorishness of the traditional amusement park. The result was an America reduced, frozen,